Just A Fling
by purplebunnywabbit
Summary: Complete: Max has a secret... MA all the way!
1. Dancing Affair

**Just a Fling **

**Disclaimer:** Last I checked the rights to Dark Angel didn't belong to me... I am just writing for fun! No infringement intended dudes.

**A/N:** I got an idea and here I am flowing with the thought! I hope you enjoy it! I might keep going depending on the interest. You should know that Max and Alec didn't actually meet. Rather another transgenic 'Sam' yes 453 gave Max the virus. Everything else was practically the same except Max and Sam started getting along, and became like sisters after Max burned down Manticore. Max hasn't seen Ben since they were kids, but he is alive and Zack won't tell her well... Also obviously Zack is alive and Max didn't die.

* * *

**Dancing Affair **

Max walked into a dance club in downtown Seattle wearing a black backless top, and form fitted-jeans. She peeled off her black leather jacket, the place was hot. She swayed her hips to the beat, using her honed senses to find a suitable partner. Proving useless she began dancing alone.

This had become a habit to say the least. Going out to this 'Rumors' shindig and shaking her thing. Logan had been driving her insane, with all his conviction in getting the cure. They weren't seeing each other anymore. Her high hopes had taken a nosedive since the second incident. Sam apologized profusely about the virus. Max understood, after all she was the cause to Sam's _vacation_ to Psy-ops.

Tonight was not going as well as she had hoped. She had yet to find a reasonable dancer, which was a real disappointment. After all this was supposed to be a release. It was supposed to make her forget, and it did.

At least until she saw someone who looked like Logan from behind, efficiently assaulting her mind. She really did love him, but she had to love him didn't she?

Max turned to leave, tonight was a bad idea. She had just begun to dance and he was already making her miserable. That how love is, isn't it? She shook her head dejectedly and slid through the hoards of people.

Someone grabbed her arm she turned toward him ready to tell him off. It's not like he would be the first cocky guy to try charming her into dancing.

Max turned prepared to meet face with another helplessly lame guy, who thought she was hot. So you can see it really surprised her to face a hazel eyed attractive guy. He wore a cocky yet charming smile; fortunately it was an effective tactic. Successful in making Max's insides melt into a gooey mess.

"Where's a pretty girl like yourself going?" he grinned again.

Max had wanted to laugh, but it wouldn't come out. Instead she smiled flirtatiously; her hormones were playing with her is all. It wasn't her, she was just foolin', but it was her fix. After being in Manticore her heat cycles had been treated. Treated? It disappointed her more than she would like. It was so much easier with heat. Control or not she got the release she needed. Now that it was gone, she yearned for it. Don't you hate how that is?

She pulled him close and began dancing. Leisurely her fingers under his jacket and up his covered chest. Max felt his breath catch and grinned. Her lips neared his mouth but dodged his lips. She stretched on her tip toes and whispered in his ear "Had fun" and pulled away abruptly leaving him alone.

Max smiled to herself as she continued to walk through the crowd. _Five, four, three, two..._

"Hey, you think that you're gonna get away on me that easily?" he murmured into her ear while grabbing her from behind.

"Nah, I knew I was too much to resist" she teased while turning into his eccentrically reassuring embrace.

"Well my friends and I were just getting drinks, you wanna come?" he waggled his eyebrows. Max's throat caught a lump.

It just wasn't what she came for. It was dancing and that was it. She didn't get personally involved, ever. It was play them and leave them. Max knew how low it was but it couldn't be more. This was her night life, her escape from her real life. The two just didn't mix.

"Uh..." she looked away and stepped back. "Actually... no can do"

"Oh I get it, you wanna dance... Whatever I can get then huh?" he smirked, her lips curled into a sly grin of her own.

"Something like that."

**_Yeah Uh Huh New Blaque_ **

He brought her body closer and they began to dance. Max's attention was totally focused on the man in front of her. Her mind was lost in the feeling of Ecstasy, this was her drug. This was what she came for.

**_Darckchild, Darkchizzle _ **

**_The jump off _ **

**_Is it true that I'm the one making you nervous?_ **

**_Trying real hard as if I'm for show shit_ **

Her hips grind up against his. The loud music was enough to make you go deaf. The heat of the bodies moving to the beat was enough to heat the outside.

**_By you and your crew, that's helpless _ **

**_You saw that X5, that's me out side _ **

**_I know you, kinda seem so confused_ **

He watched her in his arms. It seemed that she was just lost in her own world. It was just as well, because aside from the slight familiarity she was just another girl.

**_You cant understand how my diamonds bling through _ **

**_But its cool its true, its unusual _ **

**_A girl so fly out shining a guy _ **

**_We can talk about this, lets talk about it_ **

"You sure you don't wanna..." Max looked up to the man in front of her, and shook her head.

"Can we just dance?" she pouted, reluctantly he answered in sync with her wishes. She was so damn cute, and 'No' was_ not_ an option.

**_We can talk about this, don't think about it _ **

**_About me on the floor, that's what I came here for _ **

**_So pump ya breaks it seem as if ya wantin' more_ **

He met every one of her moves with his own. The dance floor was theirs. She didn't miss a beat, and neither did he.

**_It ain't me, I'm sorry you got the wrong one _ **

**_It ain't me, I just came out to have fun _ **

**_It ain't me, go out and find another one _ **

**_I don't like what your kickin' son, now leave _ **

**_Cause even if I leave alone, I'm good_ **

The music slowed and so did their movement. She slid her hands up from his neck down his arms. His soft comforting hands moved up to her hips. She stared into his eyes that now seemed greener than before. He smelled really good, like leather and spice, or something. It was indistinguishable, something she was sure she could become familiar with as his. Instantly she scolded herself for thinking such things...

**_And even if you come along, I'm good _ **

**_Don't mean a thing to me cause, I'm good _ **

**_With or without you _ **

**_If you wanna play games with me then, I'm good _ **

**_Say what you do for me than, I'm good_ **

His breath tickled her neck.

She knew she should pull away before something happened, but she just couldn't, it was just so tempting, _he_ was too tempting.

His lips placed warm kisses up her neck. She pulled his mouth to hers and kissed him like she had nobody else. It just seemed so natural. His tongue traced along her bottom lips and she felt his lips quirk into a smile. She ignored it and felt his tongue massage hers. A moan escaped her lips as he pulled back.

**_You don't really mean a thing cause, _ **

**_I'm good With or without you _ **

**_I'm good I'm good without you _ **

**_I'm good I'm good _ **

**_I'm good I'm good without you _ **

**_I'm good I'm good _ **

**_Playas please, please stop frontin'_ **

**_I don't know when Benz started makin Isuzu's _ **

**_But its new, cause I do what I do _ **

**_Which causes me not to be needin' you _ **

**_When I leave, I got a crib to go to _ **

**_That I got myself straight out of high school_ **

Max nipped his ear before she breathed into it "stop teasing." She smiled as his lips crashed down to hers. She didn't know how long they had been doing this in on the dance floor, but she didn't care. They teased and kissed one another driving each other nuts like nobody else could.

His mouth peeled from hers and he couldn't take it anymore. He needed her, she was different. He just knew. Right now it didn't matter though. "So..." he smirked "my place or yours?"

**_So if you comin' at me, be ready _ **

**_Cause there ain't no way imma let somebody play me _ **

**_We can talk about this, lets talk about it _ **

**_We can talk about this, don't think about it _ **

**_About me on the floor, that's what I came here for _ **

**_So pump ya breaks it seem as if ya wantin' more_ **

She froze unsure of what to do next. It had never been like this. It was more about the alcohol and dancing, not the sex. Not to say it hadn't happened. Being sad and lonely did things to you. Things that made you do stupid things. Forgetting everything she had been thinking she tickled his ear with a whispered "yours".

**_It ain't me, I'm sorry you got the wrong one _ **

**_It ain't me, I just came out to have fun _ **

**_It ain't me, go out and find another one _ **

**_I don't like what your kickin' son, now leave _ **

**_Cause even if I leave alone, I'm good _ **

**_And even if you come along, I'm good _ **

**_Don't mean a thing to me cause, I'm good _ **

**_With or without you_ **

They both climbed on his bike, they didn't say much to each other. She wrapped her arms around his waist anticipating what he could do. He felt different, it made her think.

_No don't think_.

It wasn't like she had to stay with him, besides that it was just fun.

_It didn't mean anything, it was just harmless nothing. _

Still she felt guilt, for using him, and for in some sick way betraying the man she couldn't bring herself to think about. She pushed it all away though.

It didn't matter he was just gonna be a pawn in her game of chess. What she had yet to understand was that in the end all the pieces went back in the same box, that everything came back to reality.

**_If you wanna play games with me then, I'm good _ **

**_Say what you do for me than, I'm good _ **

**_You don't really mean a thing cause, I'm good _ **

**_With or without you _ **

**_I'm good I'm good without you _ **

**_I'm good I'm good I'm good _ **

**_I'm good without you I'm good I'm good_ **

They walked up the stairs in silence her hand enveloped in his. The moment they reached his floor she impatiently planted her lips on his. He kissed her back smirking the whole time. It made her tingle, that smirk, it just made her trip. He pulled his lips from hers.

"I know I am hard to resist, but I gotta open the door" she stopped pulling at his leather jacket.

"Okay" she breathed, but surrendered to her desire and crashed her lips against his once again. He wasn't complaining, but he didn't want the whole floor to see another one of his sex-ca-pates. Fumbling with the keys he managed to get them in the door. "Let's just get one... thing... straight... this... it is just for tonight..." Max muttered against his lips.

"Just the night" he nodded while pulling off her shirt, and moving toward the door.

**_Yo, I'm only _ _Clyde__ if you clip me _ **

**_And I still got ice even if you ain't wit me _ **

**_Candy paint and I still bump Biggie Halter, throwback, ripped up dickies _ **

**_Ya hate me cause I am nice up on the mic I'm twice the size of rice_ **

**_My flow keepin 'em right Brain dead you need cents like 50 _ **

**_Cause wont you to love me like Bobby and Whitney _ **

**_No_ **

**_Cause even if I leave alone, I'm good _ **

**_And even if you come along, I'm good _ **

**_Don't mean a thing to me cause, I'm good _ **

**_With or without you_ **

**_I'm good I'm good without you _ **

**_I'm good I'm good _ **

**_I'm good I'm good without you _ **

**_I'm good I'm good I'm good! _ **

****

* * *

**A/N:** I hope you like it despite the fact that you have to use your imagination... anyways I am just not good at going into complete detail, sides that, now you can dream up your own.


	2. Mistake?

**Just a Fling**

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Dark Angel...

* * *

**Mistake? **

She lay awake in his arms, watching his chest rise and descend with each deep breath. It had been perfect, beyond perfect. He was always ready when she was and never ceased to satisfy. It surprised her to say the least. With most ordinaries she had to be in control, she couldn't let go the way she wanted to. He was different; with him he focused on her pleasure before his.

_And now she had to leave._

Carefully Max pried his arms away from her. She began creeping around the room searching for her scattered clothes. The place was a wreck. She almost smiled, almost.

"We made a pretty big mess huh?" came that husky voice, a smile played his features.

"Uh... yeah... sorry about that..." she looked away from his taunt chest and began frantically looking for her clothes again.

"Where are you going? I thought we could..."

"Shut up" she snapped, cutting off what she knew was bound to come "I am going home, I told you it was just a last night thing."

"Well" he stood up and grabbed pulled on his boxers. Max turned away efficiently hiding the blush creeping up her chest. "Could I at least get your name? I guess we were too caught up in last night to be very _sharesy_, I'm Alec..."

"Nice to meet you Alec" she smiled misleadingly considerately "but I'm just not the _sharesy _type of girl. I'll be going now..." she pulled her jacket on and headed toward the front door.

"Actually wait..." he raced in front of her clad in boxer shorts.

Max tried to move him from the door. She should've known that something else was up. He didn't budge. She cocked her head to the side in annoyance. Max threw a punch in his direction far too fast for any ordinary to block and he grabbed her by the wrist with ease. She took in a deep breath.

"Fine do all the talking you want, but don't think for a second that I am going to listen" she crossed her arms across her chest obstinately.

"Fine I'm Alec, clearly transgenic, you're 452..."

"I hope you don't mind me asking but how..." Max ground out sarcastically.

"I saw the barcode during or hot and sweaty encounter, you know you should really laser that thing off" he cut her off. She punched him in the arm in frustration.

"Okay what if I told you that I'm not interested in this friendly thing we got going on here... I just went out to have fun alright, this was a mistake. I didn't expect to come out of it with a ball and chain. What would you say then, huh?" Max leaned against the back of his pathetic excuse of a couch.

He grinned. "I would say..." his hands softly caressed under her coat. His mouth moved towards hers in a single gesture of his view on the subject. His lips moved against hers. She tilted her face and responded feverishly. This is what she had been fighting the urge to do all morning.

He pulled away "I would say quit fighting _this_, and I'm no _ball_ and _chain_."

She rolled her eyes and pulled him back to her.

--

After another round in the shower, Alec watched the stubborn woman fight away her exhaustion. He nearly laughed out loud as he thought about how easy she caved for him. Even now she hadn't told him anything about herself. That would be fine though, he would find out.

This girl, she did something for him. He loved her fiery temper, and how her nose would wrinkle anytime he riled her. It was nice, having someone who could understand, who could relate with the ghosts of Manticore. He knew they were there, because he had them too.

Her eyes finally closed and he wrapped his arms around her tighter. Last night was the best sleep he had since escaping Manticore.

She was the first transgenic he had seen from Manticore. The first person he felt like he could trust. The thought made him wonder. Wonder about how someone he just met could turn his world into an upside-down mess. How she could make everything bad in his life evaporate.

His body stiffened at the thoughts crossing his mind.

_Love? Trust?_ What was he thinking? This was just getting too inept. He had to end this.

"Max" she whispered, he blinked away from his judgment.

"What?" he laid a soft kiss to her temple.

"My name is Max" she murmured.

"Max huh? Isn't that a boy's name?" he smiled down at the petite woman as she flipped onto her stomach to face him.

"Hey give a me a break, I was just a little girl… Sides' Alec? Alec as in Smart-Alec huh? It suits you" she was playing with the corner of a blanket now.

"Rebel child you, if I remember correctly designation altering was frowned upon…"

"And if I remember so was _attitude_ and _mouthy ass jerks_" she smirked. Brown eyes batting up to his own intense gaze.

"Awe don't be jealous Maxie, you're not doing so bad yourself" he grinned back.

Max was still playing with the sheets. Alec watched her, she looked… perplexed.

"You know I wasn't joking about before… I can't do this…" she looked into his eyes extensively. It made her wish she hadn't. He was way too alluring for his own good.

"Yeah? And why not?" Max looked at the seemingly interesting crack in the floorboard.

"I already told you" she blew out a pent up breath. "I can't, I go out… it's what I do. My nightlife and conventional life don't mix" she felt the guilt rose again.

"Well can I be a part of your nightlife then?"

"Alec" she sighed. "I just don't think that would be a good idea."

"Ok then… but…" he smirked fully expecting her to snub off again.

"Alec" she grumbled. "I really got to go… You know I probably lost my job because of you" she whined.

--

Max groggily threw her clip board on the counter. She walked right past the mightily pissed Normal and straight to her locker.

Today had been hell on wheels. She was sore, Alec really wore her down.

"Hey Boo, where were ya last night? I was gettin' worried about yo pretty face!" OC scowled.

"Yeah… sorry OC I was just, _out_… I should've called. I didn't think I would take that long." OC watched her disbelievingly and rolled her eyes. Max didn't notice, but even if she did she would have ignored it.

"Did wheels send ya on anotha one of those damn _Eye's Only_ missions?" she grouched.

"Uh… yeah" Max lied quickly.

"I swear if that foo does dat once more, I am gonna kick his crippled ass" Max smiled. The thought of OC beating on Logan was hysterical.

"Oh _Missy Miss_" Normal sing-songed across the room.

"Yeah, yeah Normal. Why dontcha tell someone else to do it! Can't you see? _I'm on a break_" she glowered.

"No, no you silly gal! Some one is here to see you" he said all too cheerfully.

"What?" she made her way to the counter. What she perceived next stunned her.

_What is he doing here?_

Her look of shock quickly replaced a look of annoyance.

"Oh well what a surprise!" she mumbled under her breath.

"Hey Maxie" he grinned lazily, while leaned up against the desk. "I was just talking to Normal here and it seems that we both have an interest in Cage Fighting."

"Really?" she answered as if fascinated. "Well I'm sorry Normal but I have to talk with _you_" she directed the remainder of the statement to Alec.

Next thing he knew he was being hauled through the doors of Jam Pony.

"Alec, what the hell are you doing here?" she shrieked. "I told you that…"

"Yeah I know what you told me Max. So here I am becoming a part of your _day life_. You do realize that is the most pathetic excuse I've ever heard, right?"

"Yeah… I mean no, go away!" she jeered.

"No can do Maxie. I know that you feel it too…" he lightly tugged on a strand of her hair. The single gesture sent vibrations through her spine.

"Feel what Alec? Are you nuts? Honestly if I had of known that last night was gonna lead to your disastrous self I wouldn't have bothered. What part of 'no' don't you understand?" her adrenaline pumped harder with every lie she spit out.

She didn't mean it. He knew it, she knew it. Why did a simple attraction have to be so thorny?

He smirked at her ranting and pulled her into a long enduring kiss. At first she pushed him away trying to prove her point. In the end her self restraint failed to last. It was only a matter of seconds before she was pressed up against him.


	3. Dirty Little Secret

**Just a Fling**

**Disclaimer: **I don't own anything... I am ownerless... or something...

* * *

**Dirty Little Secret **

OC and Sam watched the disheveled Max scuttle back into Crash. This had not been the first time. Something was going on, and they were gonna find out what. Both Sam and OC had tried several times to get it out of her, but when Max had a secret she didn't share.

Lately she had even been turning down some of Logan's _very important calls. _Not that they would complain about that. Even so… Max was being too secretive.

"Hey boo, where'd you go? One minute I am winking at shorty over at the counter next thing… cabam! You are gone with the wind. As much as I like magic tricks boo ya need to tell me what is goin' on."

"Nothings _goin'_ on OC just went out for some air…" OC rolled her eyes.

"Yeah whateva boo, when ya need to talk I'll be here…" she took a sip of her beer coolly in a way that oozed _'Original Cindy'. _

"Yeah, yeah" Max smiled boldly.

"Ya know she has got a point, what's with the up and leave" Sam scowled.

"I told you… it's hot… I headed out for air. Man I put you two into a room together and it's our own little game of twenty questions" she covered her aggravation with a false smile.

"Liar" Sam grinned while grabbing the empty pitcher and vanishing to the bar.

**_Let me know that I've done wrong_ **

**_When I've known this all along_ **

**_I go around a time or two_ **

**_Just to waste my time with you_ **

"You know this would be a lot easier if we weren't sneaking around everyone's backs" Alec whispered. Max grinned and kissed him earnestly.

"Awe but it is so much more fun this way" she smirked clearly amused by the situation.

The two were in the storage room, _again_. This had become a habit, the make out sessions in the closets. Or whatever else happened to be convenient.

_**Tell me all that you've thrown away **_

_**Find out games you don't wanna play **_

_**You are the only one that needs to know **_

"Easy for you to say" he grumbled.

She played with the button on his jacket with a pouty face. "We could always just break it off ya know… stop talking to each other… no more makin'…" he stopped her with another rushed kiss.

"No, no I was just kidding around."

"You sure cause we could always…" she paused and pulled away from him. "You know break it off..."

He shook his head and pulled her back into his arms. This time his kiss was more affectionate and languid. It sent quivers down her spine.

_**I'll keep you my dirty little secret **_

_**(Dirty little secret) **_

_**Don't tell anyone, or you'll be just another regret **_

_**(Just another regret, hope that you can keep it) **_

_**My dirty little secret **_

_**Who has to know **_

"Max, where have you been all morning? I was gonna do my runs with you." Sam asked with irritation.

"Sorry Sam, I was busy with Eye's only stuff" she lied quickly.

"Ahuh… whatever. You coming to Crash or should I make another excuse up for ya?"

_**When we live such fragile lives **_

_**It's the best way we survive **_

_**I go around a time or two **_

_**Just to waste my time with you **_

"So what did you tell them today?" he grinned as he stared at the ceiling absently stroking her hair. "Another dentist appointment?"

"Nah Sam is making up some excuse" she glanced up at him fondly. Then felt a major stab of culpability. She was using him, for her own selfishness of heart ache. He knew it, still he stayed by her.

**_Tell me all that you've thrown away_ **

**_Find out games you don't wanna play_ **

**_You are the only one that needs to know_ **

"Missy Miss, late again! I mean it, you. Another day late and I am gonna have to fire you. Damn Slackers!" Normal hollered.

**_I'll keep you my dirty little secret_ **

**_(Dirty little secret)_ **

**_Don't tell anyone, or you'll be just another regret_ **

**_(Just another regret, hope that you can keep it)_ **

**_My dirty little secret_ **

**_Who has to know_ **

"Alec!" she gasped. "Quit… it… I mean… it…. I am gonna…. Kick your unworthy… ass…" she panted through a fit of giggles.

"You are gonna what Maxie? I really don't think you are in the position for intimidation. Try again."

"Screw… you…" she cried as another attack of giggles came on.

"Again?" he smirked.

Max would have slapped him if she wasn't in this predicament. Being trapped by his weight, and fighting against his _talented _fingers, that were so gallantly attacking her ribs making her sore with laughter. It left her helpless.

In one swift movement he moved off her and rolled off the bed.

"I don't know about you but I need a shower… would you like to join me?" Max pretended to think about it for a minute. "Well too bad, your loss" he began to leave the room.

"Hey!" she shrieked. "Wait for me!"

**_The way she feels inside (inside)_ **

**_Those thoughts I can't deny (deny)_ **

**_These sleeping dogs won't lie (won't lie)_ **

**_And all I've tried to hide_ **

**_It's eating me apart_ **

**_Trace this life out_ **

"Max you came!" Logan practically squealed.

"Yeah, Sam said you called last night… I was… _busy_."

"That's fine I am just glad you are here now" he sighed.

"Yeah Logan… why did you want me to meet you out front?" he grabbed her hand in his. Max reacted quickly though tore her hand away from his.

" Logan what the hell do you think you are doing?" she yelped and hurdled back.

**_I'll keep you my dirty little secret_ **

**_(Dirty little secret)_ **

**_Don't tell anyone, or you'll be just another regret_ **

**_(Just another regret)_ **

"Max _we're_ cured!"

**_I'll keep you my dirty little secret_ **

**_(Dirty little secret)_ **

**_Don't tell anyone, or you'll be just another regret_ **

**_(Just another regret, hope that you can keep it)_ **

**_My dirty little secret_ **

**_Dirty little secret_ **

_**Dirty little secret **_

_**Who has to know? **_

_**who has to know? **_


	4. How Long

**Just A Fling**

**A/N: **Already have a disclaimer on this story and I am not doing anymore... really do you think that James Cameron would call himself _'purplebunnywabbit'_? I mean come on... anyways here is the next chapter I hope you like.

* * *

**How Long **

"You're… you're cured?" she asked incredulous. "How? Why did… where did you?"

"Yeah I got the cure, I found a Manticore scientist. Zack went and threatened it out of him. Max we're cured!"

"We're…" before she could finish the sentence her mouth was covered with his. It was a very baffling kiss, something frightfully similar to a muddled first kiss.

She pulled away. The oversight of her reserved relationship was finally catching up with her. She felt liable to stay with Logan. He waited for her, he _saved_ their relationship.

_The relationship that lie battered in your closet Max… you don't care about him anymore… not like your new guy… _a little voice in her mind taunted.

_**Why'd you go and break what's already broken **_

_**I try to take a breath but I'm already choking **_

_**How long till this goes away **_

_**I try to remember to forget you **_

_**But I break down every time I do **_

_**It's left me less than zero **_

_**Beat down and bruised **_

_**I can't see him with you **_

_**Why'd you go and break what's already broken **_

_**I try to take a breath but I'm already choking **_

_**Cause everywhere I look I can see how you hold him **_

_**How long till this goes away **_

She failed to notice the guy tangling up her thoughts follow her. _Yeah Alec_, he watched from a dark alleyway. He watched her complete look of indecision but underlining love.

And it _hurt_. It ached his heart to see her reasoning and considering returning to her old guy. He knew she had something, something better for her. He knew she wasn't being open with him because of something that to him was untouchable. But god it hurt.

Alec began walking away from the scene. He couldn't watch her rekindle her little old flame. He heard everything they said. Must have been one of those nifty retro-virus' Manticore cooked up. Alec shook his head in antipathy.

_**I can't seem to get my heart over you **_

_**Cause you creep into everything I do **_

_**And now I'm dying to know **_

_**How he touches you **_

_**I can't see him with you **_

_**Why'd you go and break what's already broken **_

_**I try to take a breath but I'm already choking **_

_**Cause everywhere I look I can see how you hold him **_

_**How long till this goes away **_

_**How long till this goes away **_

_**She said she wants to be friends **_

_**I took a big step back **_

_**She said **_

_**She said **_

_**She said she's sorry **_

_**With one finger **_

_**I said fuck that **_

His bitterness had gripped over his self restraint now. It had been three days since he last saw her.

_Must be busy with making up for lost time…_

He saw the way they kissed. That _old_ man couldn't make Max weak in the knees if he wanted to. He was in no doubt that this guy would not be up to snuff when it came to getting Max crawl back into his bed night after night. That the ordinary could in no way satisfy her the way he could.

_Then why is she with him right now?_ A small voice mocked.

He enjoyed it. Believing that she needed him, it made up for the fact that he needed her. He didn't like the neediness she brought over him; it was way too unsettling for his partiality.

It's strange how a place like Manticore could put aside those instinctual feelings. How it could make you overlook your deprived feelings. Make you put aside your need to feel attraction, feel pain, but mostly dependence.

**_I can tell you're lying when your lips move_ **

**_Cause of one lie it's not me it's you_ **

**_It's left me less than zero_ **

**_Beat down and bruised_ **

**_I can't see him with you_ **

**_Why'd you go and break what's already broken_ **

**_I try to take a breath but I'm already choking_ **

**_Cause everywhere I look I can see how you hold him_ **

**_How long till this goes away_ **

**_Why'd you go and break what's already broken_ **

**_I try to take a breath but I'm already choking_ **

**_Cause everywhere I look I can see how you hold him_ **

**_How long till this goes away_ **

**_How long till this goes away _ **

"What do you want Max?" Alec continued to stare blankly at the TV screen. He heard her come in. She'd been standing there for minutes now, just holding her breath. Undoubtedly thinking of what to say next, just how to break his heart in itty bitty pieces.

"Did you come here to stand around? Or are you going to say something?" his words slid out with a pungent edge. Saying he was irate would be the understatement of the year. "Or did you come for my all too convenient services? That's all I am good for isn't it?" the words were tumbling out his mouth before he could stop them.

Max just stood there, taking the blame. She knew she earned it, she felt him watching the telling scene earlier, watching her dreams come to life. Her thoughts had been so caught up in the cure that she hadn't taken it into consideration. Of course she realized as soon as everything sunk in, and it hit her hard.

He wasn't supposed to find out like that. His presence had grown to be a sixth sense that came by as imperceptible, she felt that comfortable around him. _Until now._

"I think that we should just be friends… I am sorry, really Alec… I told you I couldn't get involved. I told you" her accusations ended in a faint whisper. She turned to leave.

He let her walk out, for now.

**_She said she wants to be friends_ **

**_I took a big step back_ **

**_She said_ **

**_She said_ **

**_She said she's sorry_ **

**_With one finger_ **

**_With one finger_ **

**_I said fuck that_ **


	5. Tethering Away

**Just a Fling**

**Disclaimer:** Okay I am back… and not my so bitchy self… and I am gonna say I don't own Dark Angel and if I did then there would have been more of a chance for Max and Alec cuz let's face it… Logan is pitiful… anyways sorry if I have gone on offending anyone… and I guess this will be my A/N also I hope you like cuz writing it has been fun!

* * *

**Tethering Away **

_That's It! If that ass looks at me like that again I am gonna personally rip his head out of the gutter and slam it in the pavement. Ugh! It is like he wants me to feel even worse than I already do. I told him I am sorry. Sides' Logan and me, we're good together… Right… good together… when did this revolution happen? Cuz I clearly wasn't around for it._

"Max? Hey Max, you alright? You seem a little… out of whack…" Sam snapped her fingers in front of Max's face. She was a little out of whack lately, even she knew it. Alec following her around watching her with his puppy dog eyes and seductive smiles was driving her up the wall. To top it off Logan wanted to take it slow. She was really starting to kick herself for that, _before_. If she were to just sleep with him she was sure it would make her forget her craving for _someone else._

"Oh yeah fine" Max smiled at Sam. She just rolled her eyes in disgust. "Thanks for this Sam… I just didn't want to sit here alone. Cin is with her latest lickity-boo I didn't want to bother them."

Sam groaned. "You know I could be off doing better things, like hanging at the Tavern earning the big bucks with my nightlife. I just wish you and _lover boy_ would get the serious shit over with and have some fun. It would be good for the both of ya… and I wouldn't have to bear the luxury of hanging out at dullsville."

"Yeah whatever… ya know just as well as I do that you love it… hanging with ya big sis." Max growled with a slight grin. Sam took up a job at the Blowfish Tavern. Some strip joint, with her body. Which was just… nasty. Max shivered in the repulsion. She was sure Sam did it just to make her mad.

"I loved hanging with my big sis before she started with the vanishing acts and the whole secrecy thing… now you're all..._ unfocusy."_ Max didn't disagree that. She had been and she knew it. She knew what she was doing was wrong and that she was being selfish but it didn't change a single thing.

Her gaze slid over the crowd again as she took a sip of beer. His hazel eyes glued with hers and she had a grueling time pulling back to her reality. He wasn't a part of her reality. He was just some new stalker trying to get in bed with Max Guevara.

"Sorry Sammy I know… it's just the whole Logan thing is mind blowing, and I have been distracted. To top that off we are being hunted like nuts by this Ames bitch." She lied; it isn't like it was the first time. Max had being lying preposterously a lot over the past months.

"I know, and I guess what I said was a little harsh. By the way don't call me Sammy, Maxie" she mumbled grimly.

"Sides' bitchy Max is back and I think we should pull an infamous Guevara sister all nighter, whaddya say?" She grinned in satisfaction. She needed one of these, as of late she had been too busy with that certain someone clouding her mind, to do… anything _else_ fun.

"Hell yeah!" Sam smirked back.

--

Max woke to the ungraceful thump in her bedroom. She opened her eyes only to close them again, at the unwelcome visitor.

He was a _regular_.

"Alec? What the hell are you doing here?" she grumbled in annoyance.

He was sitting in the chair that was conveniently in the darkest corner of her room. She could smell him, and see the dark shadow. It didn't surprise her though.

This wasn't the first time he came in her room without permission trying unmistakably relentlessly trying to get back together.

At first she was pissed at his determination. Now, as much as she would refuse to admit, he was sounding more alluring each time he visited her.

"Same as always Maxie, I want to talk" he smirked. "It isn't like I have anything better to do. Sides' that, you said we can still be friends, which is what friends do isn't it? Talk."

"Well what should we talk about tonight huh? Cuz if you came to tell me how we belong together then just get out" she hissed insensitively.

"No I didn't come to talk to you about us. I came to talk about something _else_" he said through his strained yet calm voice.

"Yeah? And what would this something _else_ be?" she asked impatiently.

"White has a new fort. He is holding up a warehouse downtown on 78th street. I figured you and your brother or sister could figure it out. I would go with you but then everyone would find out about your new _friend_ that you fail to mention" she could hear the bitter betrayal in his voice.

Her heart sunk, she didn't _like_ hurting him, but this was how it had to be. He wasn't supposed to be a part of her life, and she wished he would just go away.

_Why so you can not feel bad about it anymore? He is just trying to understand. You are just confusing him, you aren't pushing him away anymore than you were before you started sleeping with mystery man. Mystery Man who shares all his secrets, hopes, desires, oh yeah he is a bad man. He knows you better than anyone, and nobody knows him, isn't that ironic?_ Her mind reeled over the guilty thoughts eating away at what was left of her mystified conscience.

"And what would Amesy be up to this time?" she replied coolly hiding her distress.

"I don't know I just heard it from some guys at a bar" he shrugged casually.

"The bar? Is that all you do? Go to the bar waste your money…" she asked impassively. She tried not to show him how she felt. The last thing she needed right now was Alec knowing she _did_ like him. _That's a girl, at least you're admitting c_ame that frustrating little voice.

"It's not like I have anything better to do" he spat back defensively.

"Yes Alec you do have something better to do, go find yourself a new girl. I'm sure you've got girls lined around the block, so why are you staying hung up on me?" She did feel culpable really but it didn't matter. She told him, she did. That is could be nothing.

_They were nothing, a big fat nothing._ Every time she thought it, it was more stupid than the last time.

"Even if I was hung up on you, which I'm not. Sleeping around doesn't get me off…" he sounded pissed but his voice softened as he continued. "I know none of them will be good enough Max. I have already told you Max, my love life is my business."

_Love life? Was he in love with me?_

"I know, sorry, I should mind my own business."

"Exactly" he looked into her brown eyes and felt his heart throb.

She still had that effect on him. She completely neglected him from day one, and he still loved the woman. These six months had been the best of his life. It wasn't even the physical attraction that made him so into her. It was the way she stuck up a fight, her tough chick attitude, the way he could make her smile, how she would respond to his touch, but mostly how he trusted her unlike anyone else he'd ever known.

"I should go…" he mumbled while slipping out her window.

"Yeah" Max whispered, but he was gone long before the syllable fell out.

--

"Hey Babe" Logan grabbed Max around the waist by surprise. She not so subtly pulled away. "What's wrong?" he gasped.

"Nothing" she put on a false smile. _Clearly something was up._

"Oh okay… anyways I just called you over to see if you could still go to that lab and get the money I need" _but Logan wouldn't notice_.

"Yeah, tell me again why you need this money… I thought you, Logan Cale, were the hot shot" she grinned while moving into his embrace.

"Well of course I am, but even with Zach's threats that cure was pricy" Max pulled away for the second time. Talk about a _mood_ _killer_.

"Not that it wasn't worth it!" he caught on… _too late_… He pulled her back into an hold.

"I know, I should go get the cash, I'll see ya tomorrow." She swept past him.

_He's finally ready, and now I'm not, how friggin' ironic…who's the prude now…_ she thought bitterly.

--

Max started walking toward the warehouse. Just her luck, the fuel truck didn't show this week. She rolled her eyes.

She heard footfalls following her for the past few blocks. Twice now she spun around to try and spot the trailer. It was useless she figured that she must just be hearing things… _unless_. She slowed down, and listened harder. The footfall was nearly soundless.

Finally her mind caught up with her… _who would be following her at this time at night? Who could tread as light as a mouse? Perverts…_ she thought sarcastically.

"Alec" she hissed whilst letting out a deep breath of frustration. "What do you want?" she didn't turn around. She just stood there motionless.

When nobody answered she turned around. "Fuck Alec I know you are following so why don't you stop screwing around" she hissed.

"Temper, temper" came the tsking voice from above. She glanced upward to see him. He was standing on the roof of another brick building, of just another street of Seattle.

"What the hell do you think you are doing?" she growled up at the man. Smile threatening to prevail, she fought it away though.

"I was following you" he stated as if it was the most obvious thing.

"I got that part" she gestured to his position on the roof above the alleyway. "Why?"

"Well it didn't look like you were bringing anyone who would recognize me so I decided to tag along. Also there's something I need to talk to you about."

"What?" she hissed. He climbed halfway down the ladder and jumped the rest of the way landing gracefully in front of Max.

"I'm leaving." With those two words, Max's world crashed, hard.

* * *

**A/N:** I have the next chapter ready I just have to type it up and post it… Review! 


	6. Better Than Me

**Just a Fling**

**Disclaimer:** Don't own Dark Angel, never will just writing for the hell of it.

**A/N:** I have had this one written for a while I hope you enjoy it! Also thanks for the review guys it keeps me all motivated and ready to post! Special thanks to **88hainesde, ilovejensenandjared, milo04, opalshine, OCSblondie, maggie black, wayhott4u, Jaimo, Lexie, **and **JG. **Keep the reviews coming!

* * *

**Better Than Me **

"I'm leaving." With those two words, Max's world crashed, hard.

"You're leaving?" she asked implausibly, she was beyond shocked.

"Yeah I just thought you might want to know that I won't be around to inconvenience you anymore" He said unpleasantly sending her heart in a throttle.

She frowned. _Had she done that? _Had she made him feel like a liability? Her thoughts raced over her actions. She must have... _she did!_ She was being a really big malicious bitch.

"You don't have to…" she whispered. He nearly missed it.

"What's that?" he asked cautiously.

"I said you don't have to…" she felt somewhat unnerved by his hard gaze.

"Yeah I do… you know how it is… can't stay in one place for too long…" he lied. For what was the first time; he didn't like to put off his honesty for her.

"Where?" she questioned, hopeful that it would be close. It was too much too quick. _Without Alec…_ she couldn't have that… she couldn't not have him there.

"Not sure" he shrugged. He really wasn't sure, he thought maybe head south and figure it out as he drove.

**_I think you can do much better than me _ **

**_After all the lies that I made you believe _ **

**_Guilt kicks in and I start to see _ **

**_The edge of the bed Where your nightgown used to be _ **

**_I told myself I won't miss you _ **

**_But I remembered _ **

**_What it feels like beside you _ **

**_I really miss your hair in my face _ **

**_And the way your innocence tastes _ **

**_And I think you should know this _ **

**_You deserve much better than me_ **

Max's senses were drowning her; she didn't want this... she watched him intently not wanting to forget an inch of him. He watched her absorbedly unsure of what she was thinking about.

_What is she doing?_ Before he could press his thoughts any further he felt her lips on his. It was a very demanding kiss, he responded avidly. Then remembered _him_… he pushed her away.

"What are you doing? Max you don't want to do this?" he bellowed holding on to the thread of self-restraint, he wanted her so badly.

She approached him slowly. Her gaze drifted over his features. She licked her lips nervously, she didn't want him to reject her feelings, and she needed him to know. Max wanted him to see that she _did_ care.

Tentatively she pulled him toward her. She watched his stare on her and almost looked away doubtfully, almost. He in watching her qualm herself pulled her closer.

They searched each others eyes for something. Just something that would make this alright. He ran his fingers through her hair. Realizing how soft and silky that dark hair is and how he would like to do this just once more.

It would make him hurt again, but the small time together would be worth it. She would be worth it. He watched the strand of hair slip through his fingers.

_Just like the girl did._

**_While looking through your old box of notes _ **

**_I found those pictures I took _ **

**_That you were looking for _ **

**_If there's one memory I don't want to lose _ **

**_That time at the mall You and me in the dressing room _ **

**_I told myself I won't miss you _ **

**_But I remembered _ **

**_What it feels like beside you _ **

**_I really miss your hair in my face _ **

**_And the way your innocence tastes _ **

**_And I think you should know this _ **

**_You deserve much better than me_ **

He lowered his lips to her throat. Nuzzling her soft throat then up along her jaw line. He nibbled her ear lobe, sending vibrations through her spine. His grip tightened as she twisted under his grasp. Again his teeth grazed her earlobes making her shiver in anticipation.

Her fingers slid under the hem of his shirt and across his hard abs. They roamed up he caught his breath as they reached his nipples. His fingers lightly soothed over her arms.

She lightly cupped his cheek and saw the expression of adoration. He didn't bother to hide it. He subconsciously feathered his fingers over her arms.

He leaned over and kissed her throat again, she tilted her head for both her and his benefit. He suckled her neck nipping her skin, then soothing it with his tongue.

She pressed into his chest in pleasure. He could do that, make her feel that way. She tugged off his jacket and pulled at his shirt.

**_The bed I'm lying in is getting colder _ **

**_Wish I never would've said it's over _ **

**_And I can't pretend... _ **

**_I won't think about you when I'm older _ **

**_Cause we never really had our closure _ **

**_This can't be the end _ **

**_I really miss your hair in my face_ **

**_And the way your innocence tastes _ **

**_And I think you should know this _ **

**_You deserve much better than me _ **

**_I really miss your hair in my face _ **

**_And the way your innocence tastes _ **

**_And I think you should know this _ **

**_You deserve much better than me _ **

**_(And I think you should know this)_ **

He picked up his coat and held her hand. He wanted it so bad… but this just wasn't right. Still her eyes begged to him, pleaded not to stop.

So he lead her by the hand, his place wasn't far. After unlocking the door she tore off his clothes.

She rubbed against him, now skin on skin. He placed small kisses along her chin. She leaned into him, anything to be closer... anything to make the moment last.

His fingers entangled her hair and hers rest on his chest.

His lips brushed hers first, or was it the other way around? Somehow they ended up in the middle with a whispered caress. She nipped his bottom lip and slid her tongue across it before he let her in.

He then lowered her to the comfort of the bed.

This is how it happened, how Max realized, that she was doing it _again_.

**_(You deserve much better than me)_ **

* * *

**A/N:** I hope you are enjoying this fan fiction… yeah that has got to be it. 


	7. Contemplation and Backup

**Just a Fling**

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Dark Angel or any of the characters… unfortunately… just writing the fic for the hell of it.

**A/N: **I know it has taken me a while to update… I apologize. Hope you like!

* * *

**Contemplation and Back-up **

Max pulled her legs closer as the wind whipped her wet hair to her face. The sky was almost as murky as her feelings. Clouds were rolling in at an unsettling rate. Her cattiness told her to get inside to get out of the pelting rain. Still she wouldn't, couldn't, it all hurt so much. Her dark hair plastered to her neck and face. Stubbornly she stayed planted in spot. This spot. She needed this, this cleansing. It made her feel better, for now.

_Typical_, that this symbolic representation of purification would only be a short-lived fix. It wouldn't last long. Nothing did, not for her. She was beyond tainted; no amount of polluted precipitation could put a right to that.

What she did was… _'No don't go there Max…not there…not right now'_.

Emotions pulverized her barricade over, that is what happened. _He_ knocked over that defensive wall.

_Two Days Ago…_

_Max opened reluctantly opened her eyes to the bright lit room. Second to the brilliance of the not so common yet unrepresentative sunshine pouring into the room she noticed the muscular, warm arms encircling her middle. _

'_What did she do? She wasn't supposed to do… _that_…'_

_Easing the panic that initially nipped her, she took a deep breathe in. His scent, the leathery-all-Alec, delimited her. Her anxiety temporary diminished, everything did when she was in his arms. Even so, today was different. _

_Still she promised herself, she vowed to never do that again. She told herself she wouldn't hurt him anymore. _

_Inaudibly she plucked each of his fingers from her mid-section and slid off his bed. Then just as swiftly she slid into her clothes. _

_Last night was… it was a real piece of insight for Max. She wouldn't tell him that. It was all reminding her. How she hurt him, and how she would just keep doing it. _

_She loved _ _Logan__… 'God _ _Logan__'… She loved him…didn't she? 'Of course I do, of course I love _ _Logan__… he's my everything…Everything? He is isn't he…' that wretched voice tortured. _

_Max finished fixing her disorderly state and reached for the door handle._

"_Max?" his voice rang through her ears like the omen she'd been waiting for. She shoulda known better, it was no omen. _

After that things just went wrong, all wrong. _That_ was why Max was sitting at her beloved site high in the clouds by herself. That is why she was moping over _this_.

Tomorrow it would be better. Tomorrow would be the day she would pretend nothing ever happened. Tomorrow is the day she would put on the good ole veneer and make everything the way it was before. Today though, today she would saturate in her feelings of guilt. Today was a day for her to brood.

--

"Hey, I was wondering if you were going to come around" Logan grinned ear to ear. She didn't like it… That's what _he_ used to do_… _

_'Six months and he is still all I think about…God am I pathetic!'_

"Yeah, we were busy with that last case, it was Vandermeer's wife."

"The woman that reported him missing" Logan questioned. Max had the urge to roll her eyes; he clearly had a thing for the damsel.

"Yeah her, also the one that disappeared a month after the murder, definitely no transgenic, Zack and I had her down faster than _a cat on nip_."

"She was probably scared" he said credibly.

"_Involved_" She stated nonchalantly whilst peering at her bitten down nails.

"Involved? She seemed so…" _'Knew it' _Max rolled her eyes in distain.

"_Sweet_, well she was _sweet_, for his _cash_."

"Max?"

"Yeah" _'Oh great this is it, it is time…it's almost been a week' _It wasn't the first time.

She decided not to go through with it. The relationship. He was getting too serious and she was getting in too deep. Waist-deep in the tub full of lies. It was getting harder that few months back. He still tried. God he tried. She wouldn't have any of it. They just weren't meant for each other. Not like that. A month of trying, and it went down the drain.

"Why wouldn't you give us a try?" _'Knew it... he always get that serious _ _Logan__ Cale Mr. Great Oh Eyes-Only dirty business tone'._

"I did, I just think our time was there… we waited too long" she sighed more in exasperation than in regret.

"Well I brought you something" Logan gestured toward a bag on the dining table.

"What's this?" she poked the bright bag.

"A gift" She pulled at the pink wrapping revoltingly and found an envelope. Slowly and befuddled she pulled _it _out.

"Don't wanna be the big bad bitch but Logan, what am I going to do with all _this_? You know I can get _this_ on my own." Max held up the roll of cash messily bound together with an elastic band.

"I think you should go and find _him_…" he grimaced. Logan Cale could not believe he was doing _this_. _This_ was a bad, bad idea.

" Logan, what are you talking about?" she put on her bogus smile.

"I know, well knew about him… you loved him…"

"Who?" she frowned… _'He knew?' _

"That transgenic…" he looked away irritation etching his brows.

"You knew? Wait a minute how did you know? Were you spying on me?" Lightning flashed across her eyes.

"No, no Max it was nothing like that… Just that one mission you went off to get that artillery at that warehouse before White got a hold of it… I hacked into their surveillance system… I saw him with you… his bar-code was... then I didn't think it meant anything, you guys holding hands and laughing. You know I just thought you met a new friend… I didn't think that…" his voice trailed off in a somber whimsy. "But now I know…" she could hear him catch his breath.'_He isn't going to cry is he?'_

"Logan I…" she compellingly began to elucidate.

"Don't Max" he sounded hurt and as much as Max would like to have thought she cared. She didn't. Not like she once did. "I want you to go… I want you to find him, and I want you to be happy" he was sounding way too bossy for his own good.

"Yes sir" she mustered up an affable grin.

"And I really want you to…"

"Yeah, yeah, I know be careful" she rolled her eyes, _kind of like old times_.

--

"You what boo?!" OC screeched. She had been expecting that one. It wasn't like she actually expected a farewell wagon. This was Cindy she was talking about.

"Lemme get this straight, you eloped and now you're elapsing" Sam stated clearly just making the situation harder for Max. She was doing it on purpose.

"No! I did not elope I got involved before Logan and I found the cure. Now I am going to look for the guy and I will be back."

"You can't." Zack stood up and headed to the kitchen. He did that a lot, the whole raiding Max's nearly empty fridge. He hoped that would be enough to impede her from following through with her silly delusion…

"Oh yeah?" Max growled. "And what are you gonna do if I do?"

"Nothing, cause you won't" he serenely sipped the beer he valiantly retrieved from the fridge.

"Zack, I know ya think ya got this big bro image going for ya, but if you honestly think that you are gonna be able to stop my boo, then you got another thing comin'." Cindy stood in her own bubbling defense.

"Exactly" Max quipped. Zack shook his head in disappointment. Really his little sister should get over this 'tough chick act' because she may be tough, but he could take her on any given day.

Sam scowled and snatched the beer from Zack. "For one, _this_ is mine" she shook the beer to prove her point. "For two, I think that Maxie's right. You really can't stop her, and as much as hate to say it…" she sighed in the dullness of the whole situation. "She's a big girl and she can handle herself, so you should just lay off." She finished while coolly guzzling the rest of the beer.

Zack eyed the identical, yet completely different girls in front of him. He took once glance at the mightily pissed OC and smirked. "Right… so now I am gonna be ambushed?"

"Pretty much" Max grinned.

* * *

**A/N: **Review please! I am sorry I know it is kind of short. I am really busy and this is all I could get together! 


	8. New Faces

**Just a Fling**

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Dark Angel, James Cameron does so just give a girl a break!

**A/N: **Here is the next chapter! I tried to make it a little longer and get a bit more of Max's feelings in it.

* * *

**New Faces **

Two months, two whole flipping months and nothing; zilch! She had to give it to the guy he was good, too good. Really she thought one of the leads would have been of use. One of them would've have given her a crumb trail. It didn't. Every single one had been a dead lead. She really underestimated the abilities of the man blurring her judgment.

Zack said it was time to go home. He insisted that she ditch the futile attempt, at her false _sentimentality_. She renounced, persisting that she _would_ find him. So he left without her.

Twice now he had come back and checked on her. Max had been all over the country and nil absolutely Alec-less. The thought that he left the country crossed her mind more than once. Logan found nothing.

'_Useless' _

She had to admit it. She was getting wound up; then again that's what he did to her. Max knew he wouldn't let her find him till he was ready.

She'd just been hoping he would be ready by now.

Max was sitting alone in a booth in the corner of the diner, waiting for that potential lead on Alec. That hope that was once there was diminishing. She didn't want to give up, but it was getting to be pathetic. Her wasting away on a guy that she pushed away.

'_He probably moved on…' _She heaved that thought away, far away. He couldn't move on. Not until she knew that he knew. Not until she told him. She should have told him.

Max mindlessly spooned around the mush the diner called stew.

That is when the _handsome devil_ walked in.

"And what would a young lady like you be doing all along on this magnificent evening?" Max glanced up at the gorgeous guy.

'_Not my type…' _she involuntarily mourned.

"Are all you New Yorkers this charming?" she drawled tonelessly.

"Nah, I'm special" he sat across from her without permission. Max had the urge to roll her eyes.

"Oh I bet you are…"

"That was harsh… So you didn't answer my question…"

"Didn't I? Well how about I elaborate?" she smiled flirtatiously. "Not Interested." Max stood up slapping down a five dollar bill and proceeded toward the door.

He followed. _'Just my luck…'_

"Hey didn't you get the understanding that I'm a gentleman?" she stopped her pace looked at him and shook her head momentarily. "Come on! I'm not interested in that type of association…" Max glowered at him. "I mean, don't get me wrong a beautiful girl like yourself…"

Max readied her self to knock the lights outta the jerk. _'Enough is enough!'_ Before she had another moment to comprehend his actions, he got her into a hold.

"You're…"

"Sorry, you know I should have just told you." He spoke calmly into her ear. "I'll let you go if you don't try that again."

"If you don't let go I am gonna do it anyways" she hissed, squirming immensely. It was getting to be a pain; swiftly she knocked out one of his legs. Still he held her strong.

"All I need is your word that you won't punch lil ole' me" she could hear him smirk.

"Whatever" She griped. He let go. She had an urge to punch him anyways, but if he was her _kind_, she would cut him a little slack. "What do you want?"

"You look like someone I knew back _home_."

"Right… _Home_"

"I'm X5-511" he held out his hand. "Also known as Biggs"

"You're joking right?" he laughed. "Men" she moaned. "I'm Max, 452"

"No way! You're the one that escaped _twice_?"

"Well once, the second time was more of a trap than anything, but yeah."

"Sucks bad huh?"

"Hell yea" She groused. "You said you knew someone who looked like me?"

"Yeah, went on a mission with 453"

"Ahh, well I bet that was just a blast" she sarcastically jested.

"You know her huh?"

"Unfortunately… she is living in Seattle, a stripper."

"Really? That is something I would like to see" he glanced at Max. She glared him down and he smirked. "I didn't mean it that way."

"Right...You've been living in New York since…?"

"Nah, kind of been all over the place. Looking for others"

"_Others_?" she repeated questioningly mocking the tone.

"Yeah, I found out that I have a kid…"

"Breeding program?" he nodded solemnly. She could tell. "But you cared about her?"

"Yeah…" they both walked in silence for a while. "What about you? What are you doing at the 'Big Apple'?" he smiled cheekily.

"Pretty much the same thing" she sighed.

"Sore losers in love, that's what we are" she nodded knowingly as the snow began to fall lightly.

"Yeah" she whispered.

--

"Max" came the muffled voice. It didn't take her long to wake up and find the source to her shortened sleep. She looked over at the eccentric man half asleep, who she had really become accustomed to. Ring… ring…

"Ugh, Logan" she grouched. He had given her a cell phone… _just in case_.

"Hey Max speaking"

"Hey Max, I found a number."

"Huh?" came her sleepy voice through half a yawn.

"I found a cell number, _his _cell number."

"You what?" came her clearly elated voice. Biggs lifted up his head to find out what was more important than his cherished sleep.

"Yeah"

--

"I don't know…"

"Max, you can't just give up after looking for the guy for three months. If that were 224's number I would call her in an instant." He pressed on, she knew he was trying to help… but it wasn't working.

"Yeah but you didn't tell her to go away. I did, I may as well have kicked Alec outta Seattle."

"Alec?" _'Shit!' _She hadn't been sharing all the details. Just in case they knew each other. That would be just too weird. Also when it came to talking to Biggs it was about other things. Not about their love lives.

"Yeah…"

"Well you gonna tell me his designation too?" he pressed cheekily.

"Not a chance."

"You see I don't get that…"

"Too bad" she exhaled noisily.

"I might know him…"

"All the reason to not tell you."

"Tell him and I won't ask again."

"Fine, as long as you leave me alone" she smiled. "Thanks Biggs."

"Anything for a friend."

--

Ring… ring… ring… it had been a total of ten months now… ring… she was really starting to get upset about it… ring… _'Come on Alec'_…

"Alec" came the disgruntled voice.

She paused in shock_ 'Maybe this was a bad idea'…_

"Hello?"

"Alec" came her whispered response. He paused; she swore she heard his breath catch in surprise.

"Max?" he responded, sounding as gentle and loving as always.

A tinge of guilt pinned her, maybe this was a bad idea.

"I… I… Alec?" for once she was at a loss for words. She didn't know if she should be yelling at him, or if she should be profusely expressing her regrets.

"What do you want?" she fought against the urge to cry and tell him how wrong she was. God was she a schmuck.

"Where the hell are you?" she replied just as testily.

"That's none of your business Max, you wanted me gone and I am. Just…"

"I was wrong Alec…" she heard him breathe in deeply. Clearly doing the same as she, trying to get some rein over his feelings.

"You don't mean that Max, just…"

"I love you" she halted him in mid-sentence.

"No… no you don't Max you don't want me"

"You don't know what I want; don't tell me what I want! Fuck, Alec, ever since you left..."

"Max, I moved on." She absorbed the words; the more they sunk in the more she wanted to hit something.

"I'm sorry I wasted your time then" she hung up.

'_I guess that's it' _no more wondering. No more hoping, just being happy for the love of her life. The love that slithered away, that love that waited for her. That love that she flushed away. As fallacious as she would like to think the conversation was; she knew she needed a bucket of cold water. Reality was going to take some time to settle, and then she was going to hurt all over again.

Max tossed the phone carelessly to the bed. Warm tears freely fell down her cheeks. _'That was it'. _

_

* * *

_

**A/N:** Thank you for the reviews, I am not done yet...


	9. Shoulda

**Just a Fling**

**Disclaimer: **I don't own nothing...

* * *

**Shoulda **

Alec stared at the wall in utter uncertainty.

'_What the hell was that?'_

He finally hung up the phone and grabbed an amber colored bottle of liquor from his mini fridge. Then deposited himself on the bed, resting his head against the disagreeably colored wallpaper.

**_Before I hung up the phone all I could hear  
Was the dial tone ring in my ear  
If I could go back in time  
I'd say those three words  
I shoulda woulda coulda said it back to you  
And this can't be saved if you can't be found  
You hung up and left me for dead on the ground  
You didn't even say goodbye  
I shoulda woulda coulda said it back to you  
I shoulda woulda coulda said it back to you_ **

It wasn't true, none of it. He lied, it was better for her. She didn't want him. Why would she want him? She wanted him gone. She was just over thinking it. She probably just got in some fight with the _love of her life_ and was rebounding.

He didn't want to be selfish. But he couldn't have just a piece of her, it was all or nothing. With her soul taken by the _once_ 'untouchable' boyfriend he would only have her body. That wasn't worth it.

He loved her, all of her. Not to say that it wasn't tempting. To be with her for another night, just one night was worth his pain. Not hers though. He deserved that, she was worthy of so much more.

**_Now that you're gone I'm wasting away  
The life has been siphoned right out of my veins  
If I could go back in time  
I'd say those three words  
I shoulda woulda coulda said it back to you  
And this can't be saved if you can't be found  
You hung up and left me for dead on the ground  
You didn't even say goodbye  
I shoulda woulda coulda said it back to you  
I shoulda woulda coulda said it back to you_ **

He heard about Max but suspected that it could be Sam building Terminal City. They succeeded in pissing everyone off. It kind of made him smile; one girl with Max's attitude would be mind boggling enough. Double that? That would be one problematic encounter. He was proud to say the least. She kept the charade up anyways, even if she was endangering herself. That was a while back though.

For months he heard nothing about the Transgenics. It worried him to say the least. Especially knowing that his Maxie was there and with her supreme _stubborncy_ she would unlikely back down.

It scared him that he was busy skipping towns, drinking, splitting the odd bar brawl, he was so far gone that he wouldn't be able to help. So he stopped in Seattle once, just to see her. See if she was happy, see if she was safe. She was. It was half a year after he left.

She and Logan were having a lover's quarrel. They sorted it out and by the end of the conversation she was smiling again. He gave her a gift. Alec didn't stay long enough to see what he got her. Whatever it was he was sure it was expensive. That Logan guy was a filthy rich snob. Overall she looked content. So he left her alone, he figured she was in good hands.

_She was._

_  
**When you said those three words  
I kinda freaked out  
When you said them first my jaw hit the ground  
I shoulda woulda coulda said it back to you  
I shoulda woulda coulda said it back to you  
And this can't be saved if you can't be found  
You hung up and left me for dead on the ground  
You didn't even say goodbye  
And this can't be saved  
And this can't be saved  
If you can't be found  
If you can't be found  
And this can't be saved **_

He wanted so badly to believe her, to find her and take her in his arms the way he used to. To make her laugh and smile when she looked ultimately defeated, but she had her _old_ guy for that.

He didn't like to hurt her like that. Alec was convinced this was a good thing. He was sure that he was doing the right thing for her. It didn't matter what he wanted. She was all that mattered.

Now he was going to drink himself into drunken stupor, kind of like he did when he first left the girl.

'_How pitiful am I? Still moping over the girl, almost a year later…'_

**_I shoulda woulda coulda said it back to you  
I shoulda woulda coulda said it back to you_ **

Ring… ring… ring…ring…

Max had a deep desire to chuck the phone in the wall and watch it smash to smithereens. That would take too much effort. It was Logan; he'd practically been calling twenty-four-seven.

At least she did it right? She put her heart on the line the way _he_ always talked about.

"Max!" thump, thump, "Max, open the goddamn door!"

She heard Biggs' cries from the outside of the door. As much as she would like to keep it that way, he was about ready to smash the door open. She supposed she should open it. Slowly and as sulky as ever she slid open the rusty deadbolt, and turned open the door handle.

"Max?" he took in her weary state. Her unusually messy bun on top of her head, her tear stained cheeks, and her worn in clothing; it was enough for him to take a double take.

He had given her a long time to herself. Biggs decided that was enough. She had been doing this for a week now. Sitting in her hotel room drinking or staring at a hole in the wall, it was unsettling. Her previous commitment and faith toward sovereignty that he was once drawn to was gone.

He wouldn't tell her it but he was attracted to her. Though after he found how much she loved this guy, this _Alec_, he decided that her friendship was plenty enough.

Biggs had never seen Max so distraught. Something bad must've happened. She wouldn't tell him, she was in a state of hysteria when he found her. It scared him; she was nearly lifeless, after she beat on him that is.

Now she was exhausted. He could see the dark bags under her beautiful brown orbs.

He looked at her sympathetically and held out his arms. She obliged and cried into his embrace.

They sat on the carpeted floor against the door like that for at least an hour. She had long since fallen asleep. He smiled, she needed this.

If he found the dummy that did this to her he was gonna tear the undeserving fool a new one.

Her phone went off for what seemed like the fiftieth time and it was driving him up the wall.

Carefully he placed the small figure the nearest double bed.

He then picked up the black phone which Max clearly picked it out, he rolled his eyes.

"Hello?"

"Who is this?"

"I don't know. Who is this?"

"Are you Biggs? That guy Max talks about? The one that is following her like a _lost puppy_?"

"I don't know are you Logan, the guy that won't leave the poor girl alone?"

"Something like that…"

"Well me too…" he smirked. He could hear the jerk talk on the phone with Max. He knew that whiny voice all too well.

"So where's Max?"

"Sleeping, she told me to take a message if it rang."

"So you decided to pick it up on the seventy-sixth one?"

"Something like that" he smiled, mimicking the old man's response.

"Well I got the address."

"For what?"

"To Alec's whereabouts of course, she kept him on the phone long enough for me to track him. He is in Arizona right now, I texted the coordinates."

" Arizona, huh? Isn't that convenient, we were pretty close then. Well after Max wakes up I will tell her then… I'm sure she'll want you to keep her updated."

"Yes, could you get her to call me when she wakes?"

"Absolutely."

* * *

**A/N: **My fingers are starting to cramp from all the typing! Anyways I will try to update ASAP! I really left you all hanging :D sorry… kinda. :P


	10. An Old Friend

**Just a Fling**

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Dark Angel or any of the characters sucks to be me.**  
**

**A/N: **I sort of lost direction for a while… but in my flu infested mind an idea popped up.

* * *

**An Old Friend **

"Max?" Biggs gaped in his dead to the world half dazed perplexity; courtesy of half-an-hour of sleep. Last he checked she was lying in her bed. The week long breakdown took her down a notch, shark DNA or not. He didn't expect her up for another few hours at the least, beside that fact he didn't hear her leave.

"Hell no" the assertive brunette grimaced whilst pushing past Biggs. Unconsciously he rubbed the back of his neck in his sluggishness. _'Sounds like Max…'_

He watched as the ever so familiar, yet completely nostalgic, dark haired splendor saunter to Max's bed. She was definitely not Max. Not to say that Max wasn't capable of swaying her hips like that, just not willing. Biggs attention turned back to the spontaneous visitor.

Her delicate shiny gold painted finger nails gently brushed away a strand of fine hair from the face of the sleeping form. Biggs looked away as her cheeks flushed. He shook his head in humor; they were definitely related.

"What are you laughing at?" she hissed. He stepped back in caution; if they were as alike as he suspected things could get pretty _chilly_. His step back was met with a step of her own. Instantaneously he changed his mind. She definitely wasn't like Max… well aside from the bad attitude act. She was always like that though, hasn't changed one bit since…

"Nothing" he smirked. She rolled her eyes.

"Same old 511" she baited "still sardonic as ever". Her pink tongue lolled on the words.

"Well… I did learn from the very magnificent and unsurpassed master" he sassed back. Just like old times. Things might not be so different.

"Whatever… so not the reason why I am here" she somberly wretched, clearly wanting to make dead of the meat of an 'old friend'. Biggs swallowed quickly, she wouldn't do that… She smirked clearly reading him. Oh she would.

"Really 453? Then why are you here?" he waggled his eyebrows suggestively. He always knew how to change her sore subjects, Sam remembered.

"I go by Sam now, also… don't do that" she looked away coyly. He still knew how to make a girl blush.

"Well I go by Biggs" she laughed trying evidently hard not to wake the clearly bushed out Max.

"Now that… has… got to… be the… funniest… thing I… have ever heard" she managed to spit out between her fits of giggles.

"Glad you think so" he grimly turned for the hall door; she was going to wake Max up. Whilst tearing down his ego of course; another common sentiment between the two. Sam understood and followed him out of the drab damp room.

"I can't believe you actually kept that nickname!" He always thought highly of himself that way. She did once too… _'That was only a summer thing…'_

"Well believe it… what brings you to the ugly side of town?" he drawled. This was beginning to turn utterly useless. Always a joke with Sam, always flirting and fooling; that is what made her different from Maxie. Sam was the master flirt, well next to him.

"Actually came to check on my sis, figured she wasn't taking things well… she really loved him, god she's… as dumb as a doorknob." That wasn't the only motive… not that she would tell him that.

Biggs had to grin at her comment. "Ahh" silence. "Well… you look good" he gestured over her attire completely divergent to what Max would wear. She wore tight-fitted black low rise dress pants, and a pink halter top covered by a casual brown leather blazer. Sam always had the girly touch going for her, he could remember.

"You don't hit on my sister this much do you? Cuz if you did… I might have to see you to next Tuesday" she beamed. "Thanks though… you too" she bit off tersely. This was too weird, and compliments were still a gawky area. Then again she was always klutzy around him.

"You're much more…" he gazed over her newly developed curves. She raised her eyebrows in response and gurgled out a giggle; he really, really knew how to make a girl blush.

"Yeah well you don't look so scrawny anymore either… perv" he waggled his eyebrows making her cheeks even rosier than before.

"That's not what I remember you telling m…"

"Biggs!" she shrieked "you did not tell her that...! Did you?" he almost said yes, just for the hell of it. The look on her face… priceless, but his senses relieved him.

"No" he smiled jauntily; she kicked him in the shin. _'God Max and her are alike, they have definitely been hanging out too much' _"But I should've" Sam demurely cocked her head. "I just told her we went on a mission once… I mean it's true."

"Well, as long as you don't say a word, I won't hurt you" she looked to the brown stained carpet; it wasn't much different than the wallpaper or anything else in the filthy hallway.

"Hurt me huh? Sure you won't break a nail?"

"Shut-up! I could squash you like a bug…" she smiled; it was just play, nothing more.

"A bug huh?" Smack. "Ouch."

"Wimp" her comebacks were always childish when it came to Biggs. She was really trying to get the right retorts out; they were more like 'asshole'. Some things never change, including the blabbering idiot she was around him.

"Wimpier" he flinched at the insipid words coming out of his lips. She always brought out the kid in him.

"Wimp of all wimps" she suddenly had the urge to cover her mouth with her hands. Even a five year old would have a better retort than 'wimp of all wimps.'

"Well at least I don't go sneaking into guy shower rooms" Biggs watched her face scrounge in disdain, great he hit a nerve. Ahh the memories of their askew teen hood.

"I so did not and you know it! I was just..." she was talking nineteen to the dozen by this point, trying to come up with some bland excuse for that humiliating day.

"Just what?" Sam crossed her arms over her chest and huffed.

"It was your girlfriend's fault, she dared me…" her words sourly slipped from her lips. He saw the anger flash over her eyes, before he could say anything.

"Could you two be anymore immature?" Both transgenics heads spun to the sound of the begrudging voice. A tousled Max leaning against the doorframe, arms crossed over her chest; stance similar to that of Sam's.

--

"I still don't see why you couldn't wake me up" grouched Max.

"Already told ya, couldn't have if I wanted to. You were out like a bulb" Biggs impassively stated.

"Right… where are we going again?" Max really wasn't ready to talk about her useless week of moping. Aside from that fact, she was over it. Completely and absolutely over that ridicules desire. She came to the conclusion that she didn't need him. He didn't need her, he moved on. So could she and she would, wouldn't she? Max rolled her shoulder uncomfortably, how did things get so screwed up?

"Sam might have got a lead on 224, we're gonna go check it out in Phoenix"

Max watched Sam's usual immoral grin fall from its dignity "Sam, what is it?"

"Nothing Maxie" she smiled falsely. Max could tell, probably had something to do with the identical appearance and similar DNA makeup. _'Hmm must not wanna talk about it, I will have to beat it out of her later…' _

"Max?" Biggs leaned between the two front seats of the Black Chevy Trailblazer they jacked a while back. It was actually pretty nice. Black heated leather seats, broken air conditioner, broken air conditioner… stupid desert… stupid air conditioner.

"What?" she asked glancing back away from the road.

"What's Alec's designation?" her grip tightened on the wheel in torment. How could he be asking her that… after… _that_. Could he not recognize a doomed subject when he hears it? _'God he is stupid!' _

Max spun back to the road mood suddenly bitter, her eyes stayed fixated on the road. "Doesn't matter anymore does it?" she snapped with a potent tone.

"Maybe" he said tolerantly, one of them had to be.

"Biggs" she ground.

"494" Sam smacked the center console, hitting the invisible game show button. Max spun toward Sam in annoyance.

"Sam!" Max bellowed filled with anguish, who the hell did she think she was? She was about ready to pull over and teach little sis a little lesson.

"494?" Biggs asked flabbergasted. Max was too busy gaping at Sam to notice.

"Yep" Sam smirked at Max.

"How did…?" Max started.

"Really Max, you'd think you of all people would know that if I wanted to know something, I would find out. Why the hell do you think I left you alone?"

"You didn't!" Sam grimly watched her fuss about it. The only reason Sam continued watching is because she never saw Max so happy. Not even with wheels.

"I did me and the Cinster" Sam was hanging out with the African woman a lot lately. Well mainly since Max started seeing the mysterious, but hot guy. What could she say? Max was busy and she… she was bored.

"OC?!"

"Yeah, gotta say Maxie… you suck. Definitely gotta brush up on your Manticorian book of 'proper' procedures and techniques." She smiled grimly and stuck her tongue out in incorruptibility. Max grunted something incoherent and glued her to the road.

Did Alec know that she knew? Alec. Oh Alec, god what was she going to do. This was not good, no good at all. She couldn't do this. Not like this, pulling at the scab that hasn't even begun to cover. Tears began to glisten over her eyes, hastily she blinked them away. Just because she was being weak, didn't mean she was gonna show it.

"Then again I guess you were too busy sucking face to really notice." Sam tossed lightheartedly. Max's brow furrowed and she felt an uncontrollable urge to pumble her _sister_.

"So…" Biggs leaned forward to get a better grip on the now awkward situation.

"Shut-up Biggs!" Sam hissed edgily. Last thing she needed right now was Biggs blowing this. The last thing she needed was for Max to run off. Right now she just needed to get to Phoenix and fix things with Max and _lover-boy._ Was that too much to ask?

* * *

**A/N: **I lost my muse but she found me again! Yay... anyways... if you got any ideas you wanna share feel free! Let me know what you think!


	11. Imposed Together

**Just a Fling**

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Dark Angel, obviously. I am just playing around with the characters a little, alright a lot.

**A/N: **I know it has been forever since the last time I have updated. Don't kill me fellow readers! So sorry, I swear I just didn't know where I was going with this fic. I have rewritten this thing like four times! Ugh it is driving me nuts.

* * *

**Imposed Together**

"Max?" he whispers softly, they both froze at the sight of the other. It is no more mind boggling for Max than it is Alec.

"I thought you guys said we were going to that 2-2-…" Max distractedly turns to face Biggs and Sam who _shrewdly slipped away_. "Motherfuckers" she mutters. He can't help but give a tiny benevolent smile. Alec missed that, her sassy attitude, her _skewed_ lash out on life's little disasters.

She watches his bemused gaping and sense's a heated blush warm her skin when his eyes grate down her body. She wants to ask him what the hells going on, after all he _usually_ knows. In most cases he's the one driving the chaotic hell on wheels to its horrendous pitfall, right? But by the way he uneasily shifts his arm blocking the doorway she understands that asking him anything would be a vain attempt at nothing.

"Max, what are you doing here?" he asks evenly, making her gaze drift away and off to the other end of the hall.

"You know…" she half-heartedly grins and gives a jaunt of the shoulders. Max frowns finding no explanation. "I have no fucking clue" she shakes her head in the unseen hilarity of the situation. Biggs and Sam were in for some serious ass kicking later.

Silence surmounts the two still motionlessly standing in the hall. "Well…"

"You know…" the both say simultaneously breaking the dreadful hush that uneasily overcame the two. Max laughs nervously. Things were definitely easier before, when she thought it was just a game, that it was nothing. She wished things could just go back to that, how much effortless it seemed back then.

Alec smiles dimly "go ahead."

"I… I didn't… You know what?" a painful sigh escapes her lips puckered in deliberation. "When I get my hands on those two slimy…" she again sighs trying to find the words she so desperately wants to say. "Actually, I'll just go" quickly turning to hide the disappointment in herself she heads to the stairs.

This was not the way she wanted this to work out. Not that she had expected the whole confrontation happening to begin with but she would've hoped this would end in the ass kicking in the bitch that stole his heart.

Miserably she pulls the door handle wishing that she could spit the words out. That she could tell him she loved him, that she was so sorry. He was a taken man though, and despite Sam and Biggs best efforts nothing could change that.

"Wait" he sputters from his hazed state. Max pauses and spins on her heel to waiting for his continuation. "Why don't you come in?" submissively he steps aside and gestures her in.

"Well… I mean… I… okay" Max huffs.

This was bound to be weird.

--

"Well I wonder if the two love-birds have kissed and made up by now" Sam muses out loud. Biggs smirks.

"Probably, knowing 494 he is probably groveling at her feet. I mean when I first heard it, that he was actually in a _serious _relationship I… I wanted to laugh. After I thought about it though he's not such a brooding kinda guy, or committing, so I betcha they are getting their monkey on already. Unless they are stepping on each others toes and pretending to be mad at one another. Then we'll have to call out the Bigg guns… haha get it?"

"You're such a babbling idiot" Sam mutters. The complete and utter tension was starting to get to her. The flashbacks of the good ole days, the ones where they would be on a stakeout, or they would be disguised as a honey-moon couple. That _first_ love.

"What?" he asks amused. He heard her all right; he just didn't know what exactly she was getting at.

"Nothing" she grins hoping he hadn't actually heard her.

"No I think you had something to say" Biggs nudges harder.

"Well I think you thought wrong" she swats and steals the remote from his grasp.

"You sure we don't need to kiss and make-up?" a light smile plays on his attractively magnetizing lips.

--

Max steps past him and into the hotel room, discreetly looked for _her_ or something of _hers_. After finding the place empty she breaths a deep lungful of relief. As coolly as possible she seats herself at the corner of the bed, hands in lap, fiddling with the sleeves of her black sweatshirt.

"Uh… you wanna a drink?" Alec asks attempting to cut some of the tension.

"Why not?" she shrugs, hoping that he had something strong, really strong. He could hear the uneasiness in her words, her pretending to be alright in her tone. It hurt to feel her ache commencing from him.

"So how's Logan and _everyone_?" he asks tightly whilst grabbing for a couple short glasses, then reaching for the amber colored liquid.

"I wouldn't know" she bites off hoping he would get the message and quit tiptoeing around the subject. She hates when he does that.

"Oh" it kinda surprises him to hear this. He thought she would've said something more along the lines of 'none of your business' or 'why would you care' or something. She was definitely hiding something, "So what you aren't happily ever after?" Alec couldn't help it, not at all, he just had to ask, it was in his meddlesome nature.

Max couldn't help but glare at his response. How _typical_.

"Not that it is any of your business but no…" she pauses, then adding on just to see his expression, to see if he will figure it out she says "We were only together for two months, I mean I guess I just didn't know what I really wanted then." He flinched at the words, he flinched? Why'd he flinch? Just as quick he covers with an ever so archetypal cocky grin.

"Hope ya like scotch" he hands it to her, her fingers briefly brushing his in the exchange. His heart wildly thuds in his chest. He hopes she can't hear it. His arm brushed hers as he plops down beside her.

"What about the _All-Mighty_ Alec, what have you been up lately?" she smirked putting him in the hot seat. It wasn't like she was gonna let him get away with pussy-toeing through the conversation without giving him a taste of his own little game.

"Oh you know, just the usual" he brushes off rashly. She really did have some nerve, what did she want him to say?_ 'Oh I moved away, skipped shit-hole to shit-hole, and somehow ended up in scorching Arizona. Drank, moped and well moped, while you were off with your love of your life that isn't really the love of your life.'_

"The usual?" she asks skeptically. Max wasn't about to let him get off the line that easily. She gave him the low-down on her shit and he was gonna do the same.

"Well yeah, you know earning an honest days work, going out with the boys" Max doubtfully grinned and nodded.

"With the _boys? _Since when do you have _boys?_ And an _Honest days work_, now I know you're shittin' me." He laughed, it almost felt like old times. For a minute anyways. "What about your girlfriend?" she asked bluntly. He freezes unsure, his _girlfriend_. Right that _girlfriend_.

--

"Biggs" Sam punches his shoulder lightly.

He continues gazing at her honestly, doesn't give into the easy route. He is tired of holding back with her. He is tired of pretending they are just friends.

"Knock it off" she giggles.

"Knock what off? I wasn't kidding Sam. I know you feel it too" her brown eyes involuntarily meet with his and her heart begins thudding harder than before. "It's not just me imagining this" he persisted.

Sam glanced around the room unsure if she really wanted it, this. "No… no Biggs" she gazed at him fixedly "You're right."

He beams and pulls her to himself. Her arms wrap around his neck and play with the short hairs pulling him closer. Maybe 'first love' could be _last_.

--

"I… Max, I lied…" he ruefully looks away from her impassive gaze.

"Why?" she asks calmly, you could hear the indignation in her voice. The serenity in her voice does not surpass him either. He tried to understand why she would be so composed about something so… massively upright. After all he thought she would hate him by now, for lying. For breaking her heart and clobbering her alleged love. He just wished she could know that he felt the same.

"I guess… Well I guess I just thought that you deserve better… or that you got in a fight with _Log-boy_…" Max feels the heat rise from her stomach, realizing how much she truly loves this guy.

"Deserve _better_? Are you kidding Alec?" she roars sullenly, he suddenly felt as if she is purposely tearing him down piece by piece. "I was a _bitch_, even _I_ know that… but _you_" she lays a palm on his cheek and shakes her head lightly. The single gesture of her fingers connecting with his skin sends vibrations through his entire body. "You still stuck with me… If anyone deserved better that _was_ you…" A single tear slid down her cheek and his heart wrenched.

With that she stands, sets down her empty glass, and drifts to the door.

Dumbfounded for the moment he jumps up and blocks her retreat. "Where do you think you're going?" he grins. Max grimly pushes him to the side but not before he pulls her into an embrace.

Her arms struggle against the grasp of his. It isn't long before the attempts fall futile in the depths of his eyes, her hands are grasping to pull him closer. Hazel eyes locking with brown, their faces began to gravitate.

His lips met hers, or was it the other way around? Anyways they met in the middle, somewhere in a gentle languid kiss.

Yeah this was definitely how it was supposed to be.

--

Max shifted to her side to face him, head rested on propped up elbow. Gently her fingers brushed his barcode egging him to wake. He twitches at the tickling and she smiles at the curve in his lips.

"Ma-ax" he whined grabbing her hands in his own.

"I'm bored" she pouted planting several light-deliberate kisses across his chest.

"You're always bored Maxie" he smirked opening his eyes for the first time that morning. At first he could only make out her silhouetted body under the sheets, the sunlight was blinding. As his eyes adjusted he could make out her pouty lips, long dark wavy hair, and big brown eyes.

"I meant it ya know" she muses in a way that never ceases to make him smile.

"Meant what?" he mimics teasingly.

"That I love you" his arm around her waist tightens protectively, he has been waiting for that a long time.

"So it wasn't just a one-night thing?" he goads.

She smirks and leans forward whispering softly… "Guess not."

* * *

**The End**

**A/N: **

I really hope that the ending wasn't too abrupt. I felt like continuing would be dragging on for me. I have decided it is time to wrap it up. I have other fics going on and I think I would like to keep my focus on them. When I feel strained to finish a fic I like to stop it.

Thanks for the consistent support despite my sometimes dawdling updates. Tell me what you thought about the whole thing.


End file.
